Can anyone confirm if this applied to just the sport version sold in the UK with 17" wheels or did it cause issues with the smaller wheels to?

Am going to look at a TS2 1.8 petrol and wondered what to expect tyre wise?

Thanks

 

It appears to be just the sport with the 17" wheels. It's not so much a tracking issue as a whole geometry issue, which leaves the taller/wider wheels wearing on the inner edges on a sport. There is different suspension on the TS2 models.

 

My old volvo C70 was a heavy wearer of tyres. 10K out the fronts, but they wore evenly. It's not an issue with wear rates, as plenty have got 15-20 K out of theirs, it's an issue with the way they wear.
Really, do they think that inner edge only within 8K is just heavy wear? when the rest of the tyre is showing 60-80% of it's original tread?

 

Got to agree; I got just about 25k out of a Michelin Primacy on the front of my 2.0D Sport 2008 model, even wear across the tyre, but the original Dunlops were protruding wire from the inner shoulder at 16,500.

I'd expect a "normal" car to be able to get 20k miles out of a set of front tyres, so the 25,000 on the Michelins I was impressed with given the reputation of the 5 and the experience with the Dunlops.

Unfortunately after a change of tyre provider to my leasing company I now have one Pirelli and 1 Goodyear on the front so I am a bit unsure as to how things will go. I hope these tyres will last through to June when the lease agreement ends!

 

I've now done 62,000 miles in my 2008 Mazda 5 2.0D Sport, it's a brilliant car and the tyre wear overall is pretty average.
I replace the fronts about every 25K had Dunlops and Michelin's so far (Michelin is best)
The rear tyres are still the original tyres and will last another 10-20K.

This overall gives an overall tyre replacement the same as nearly every other car I have driven.

BTW all tyres have exhibited even tyre wear, so the car can be set up correctly for the 17" wheels as my car is proof of this.

 

Hi Simplicity, what model of Michelins and what tyre pressures are you running please?

I am up at 36 PSI on Avon tyres, and they are holding OK for 10k miles, i probably need to swap fronts for backs to even up the shoulder wear, before the front shoulders become dangerous, then i guess i can run it for another 10k on the swapped tyres, and replace the front two in a year's time.

Cheers, Tony

 

I recently swapped the standard tyres from the back to the front, so I can wear them out and get some matching Falkens on the front.
Just booked the 2nd year service, and advised them that even though buying the car from them 18months ago at 6 month old, and being advised by them at the first service there was an issue, that they said was me using low pressures, The inner edges wearing were my fault and cost!
They said I must live in an area with lots of speed humps that is throwing the tracking out!!

Guess I will either be getting it done for free or getting a new dealer

I really think that the tyre brand are making a difference to the problem, and Mazda picked the worst tyre.

 

Mine is a 2.0D Sport with the 17" rims.

I did experience the wear on the inner edge of the front tyres with my first set of tyres. I had the tracking checks/changes performed by the dealer, and the front tyres changed on a 50% basis. The tyres were changed to Brigestone RE050. I also changed the pressure from the recommended 33psi to 36psi all round. The issue seems to have disappeared. I am now on Falken FK452 and they seem to be running well too.

For me at least, the problem seems to have been somewhere between the tracking, tyre pressue, and the OEM Dunlop SP Sport tyres.

 

Ok, just had some new tyres (Falkens), and an alignment done at supposedly the 'best' place in Hampshire.

According to the guy who did the alignment, my tyres were within the tolerances - but the tolerances specified by Mazda were some of the widest he'd ever seen.

These are the tolerances Mazda specify (according to this alignment place) in degrees and decimals (not minutes), and what they have set my car to now:

Caster: Min: 2.13 Max: 4.13
Camber: Min: -1.72 Max: 0.28 (My car: 0.85)
Toe Left/Right: Min: -0.09 Max: 0.28 (My car: 0.14)
Toe Total: Min: -0.19 Max: 0.55 (My car: 0.28 - before was 0.17)

Interestingly the Mazda main dealer checked my alignment last month when I complained, and gave me a toe figure of 0.25, so someone's go it wrong.

Anyway, I've taken the tread depth measurements in the inside edge, and set the pressures to 36 psi, time will tell if there's any improvement.

 

My first posting was February; original Dunlop’s were down to the wire on inners at 20k. Blow out on the M5 and fortunately managed to pull over. All 4 tyres suffering similar wear characteristic. (I was partially guilty by not keeping an eye on tyre pressures, oh and at first service dealership told me about bad wear and said I had knocked the tracking out. On all 4 wheels ? give me a break!)
Hence I found this forum and followed advice offered.
2 independent geometry checks later, both found within Mazda's guide lines ... Please don't pay Mazda dealership for this service guys. Plenty out there who will do it for free and only charge if work has to be carried out.
So, new Sport Contact 3's fitted. Set higher tyre pressure (religiously set at 37-38psi)
8k later and front and rears have worn almost evenly. I haven’t measured the tread depths but on visual inspection the front probably had 4mm to the tread wear indicators and rears roughly 7mm.
Guessing again I would probably see another 5-6k on fronts and 8k on rears. The longevity of the tyres might not have improved but the dangerous inner corner wear wasn't present.
I had a failure on a rear shock. This was replaced by Mazda. I know other members have had shocks replaced.
Well this is all pretty academic now. I just didn't want to spend any more time fretting over the car, when will another shock go? how long will the tyres last? will Mazda and the dealerships continue to treat me/us like pariah's, only 10 months left on the warrantee then what? More importantly will all the negative publicity kill any residual value left in the car?
I've cut my losses and sold it on Auto-trader (someone got a real bargain). My wife and children loved the practicality of the 5. The styling, specification and finish are great. Mazda just didn't thoroughly test it before sticking it in the showroom (or did they). My third and probably last Mazda after this episode (buyer beware).
I’m now the proud owner of the all new KIA Sportage AWD Diesel. I didn't think I would go near KIA until I saw this car, designed by ex-Audi designer Peter Schreyer . I hope the Sportage doesn't suffer any major design flaws and the company/dealership treat one with a little more decorum.
Good luck all you 5 Sport owners.

2008 5 Sport 2.0 (Luxury Pack) Petrol.